Effects of Dietary L-Carnitine on Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Meat Quality of Growing-Finishing Female Pigs

  • GU Changsong ,
  • LI Bin ,
  • HU Shengdi ,
  • HUANG Lirong ,
  • ZENG Ziyou ,
  • ZHU Zhengpeng
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  • 1. Sichuan TEK-MAX Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China;
    2. Sichuan Tequ Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610207, China;
    3. New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610000, China

Received date: 2020-09-17

  Online published: 2021-04-15

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Abstract

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary L-carnitine on growth performance, carcass quality and meat quality of growing-finishing female pigs. A total of 420 female PIC pigs with similar body weight of (30.42±3.24) kg were randomly divided into 2 groups with 7 replicates in each group and 30 pigs in each replicate. Pigs in the control group were fed a basal diet, and those in the experimental group were fed the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg L-carnitine. The experiment lasted for 105 days. The results showed as follows:1) compared with the control group, the average daily gain, the average daily feed intake, the feed to gain ratio and the livability of growing-finishing female pigs in the experimental group were not significantly different in different growing stages (P>0.05). 2) Compared with the control group, dietary L-carnitine significantly increased the backfat thickness and the length and weight of longissimus dorsi of growing-finishing female pigs (P<0.05), significantly reduced the mandibular fat index (P<0.05), significantly decreased the shear force, the drip loss, the myofiber diameter and the myofiber area in longissimus dorsi (P<0.05), and significantly increased the myofiber density in longissimus dorsi (P<0.05). 3) Compared with the control group, dietary L-carnitine significantly increased the intramuscular fat content in longissimus dorsi of growing-finishing female pigs (P<0.05), but significantly decreased the contents of C18:2n6c, C20:0 and C20:3n6 in longissimus dorsi (P<0.05). 4) Compared with the control group, dietary L-carnitine significantly increased the fatty acid synthase (FAS) mRNA relative expression level in longissimus dorsi of growing-finishing female pigs (P<0.05), and significantly decreased the myosin heavy chain Ⅱb (MyHCb) mRNA relative expression level in longissimus dorsi (P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary 100 mg/kg L-carnitine does not affect growth performance of growing-finishing female pigs, but it can improve the carcass quality and meat quality by affecting the intramuscular fat deposition and myofiber traits in longissimus dorsi.

Cite this article

GU Changsong , LI Bin , HU Shengdi , HUANG Lirong , ZENG Ziyou , ZHU Zhengpeng . Effects of Dietary L-Carnitine on Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Meat Quality of Growing-Finishing Female Pigs[J]. Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition, 2021 , 33(4) : 1964 -1975 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-267x.2021.04.017

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